Beneath The Surface
by Dash99
Summary: A tragic accident occurs, a new kingdom rises to power. As the Ranger corps put the pieces together, the find out there is much more beneath the surface, but will they figure it all out in time?
1. Chapter 1

_**Summary: A tragic accident occurs, a new kingdom rises to power. As the Ranger corps put the pieces together, the find out there is much more beneath the surface, but will they figure it all out in time?**_

_***Another story based on Shadows that can't be seen. That was the main inspiration for this.**_

**Dash99: I'm so excited to be doing this as a collab! We did a virtual coin toss to see who got to post this, and well... that's a long story! Anywho, I am the one posting this, but it was Savannah's idea! So visit her profile and check out her stories! R & R:)**

**Savannah Silverstone: Hey guys! First time I did a collab with someone from the other side of the took some long nights/mornings (depending which side of the world we're on) in the chat rooms and some synchronizing here and there, a few exchanges of What if's to What about's and we were able to make it! Here it is! Enjoy!We were both able to make our own contributions to how this chappie was written and how the story will turn out so it's safe to say that we both got our muses in this story! Anyway, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Ranger's Apprentice**

" Oh no…"

Will muttered to himself as soon as the ransacked town came into view.

Just as he and Halt expected, it was deserted.

"The survivors probably all left." Halt said as he surveyed his surroundings

Will nodded. " It looks like the bandits took everything of value." He looked around, horrified. The town was so devastated that he couldn't even imagine how it must have looked like before the attack. He wasn't even exaggerating when he said his last statement.

The stone tiles that lined the paths were all pulled out, leaving only the soiled ground underneath. Markings were the only evidence that they were actually there before. The bricks that made up some houses were also taken. All the bandits left were empty shells that could have been butcher shops, residences or blacksmiths. Not even the rangers could tell what they were anymore.

The young apprentice looked back and forth between the village, his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought and frustration. It was only when he felt a tap on his back did he jump back to reality. He turned to see his mentor looking straight at him.

Halt made a subtle movement with his eyes that Will grew accustomed to his five years as an apprentice. He knew what his master meant. They weren't alone.

Will widened his eyes in surprise as he got the message. He didn't even notice any slight movement or any small sound that couldn't have been natural.

Without thinking, Will looked around panicked. His head darted from left to right. That alone was a big mistake.

That one action was enough to alert the bandits that they have been spotted.

"Look out!" Halt cried.

Will saw an arrow sail in front of him. He knew that if it wasn't for Tug's fast reflexes, that would have ended up buried in his chest.

"Will! Take the ones on the right! I'll go for the ones on the left." Halt ordered and the two rangers split up.

_Stupid!I'm so stupid!_ Will thought as he rode away. It was only then that he realized his mistake. He shouldn't have shown that one second of panic that was causing the ruckus that was happening then.

Will quickly readied his bow as soon as he saw the swarm of bandits head towards him. His fast reflexes and instincts with the bow were enough to take down most of them.

A few minutes later, the only one standing was a man that stood amongst the prone figures. He wasn't too tall, at the most he was Horace's height but he made up for it with his mass and muscles.

Will fired his last few arrows in succession, confident that those were enough to kill him.

The man was slow and lumbering, but no matter how many arrows Will shot through him, he didn't look even a bit affected.

Will got off Tug as soon as he realized he was out of arrows. He gave a signal to his horse to escape to the forest. If this fight was going to be short ranged, it was best that he didn't do it on top of a horse.

Will watched as the man got closer and closer. At the same time, he readied himself physically and mentally for the fight that was to start. He heard a whinny that was definitely from his horse. He looked to the sound to see that his horse had stopped halfway and was hesitating.

"GO!" Will yelled, his tone harsh. It was painful to shout at his horse like that but he knew that that was the only way to force Tug to obey him in it as the horse vacillated between two choices.

Will watched as his horse galloped back to the woods. It was only when he was assured that his horse was safe in the woods did he look back at his opponent.

The man was already right in front of him.

He raised up a massive club and started slamming it down.

Will had speed by his side and he was able to dodge it cleanly but barley. Dirt sprayed up from the impact of the club.

Will brought out his throwing knife, aiming at the giant's head. Will was about to throw it when a sharp pain shot through his calf. Will dropped his knife with the sudden on come of pain. He glanced down at his leg to see a knife embedded in it.

The bandit saw the opening of the few seconds the ranger used to recover and took advantage of it .He slid the club along the ground, leaving a dirt trail, and slammed it into Will's head. Will's eyes glazed over, and he fell down, unconscious.

"The little twirp almost had you." A voice spoke. The bandit glowered at the man who just spoke. He was smaller than the bandit but he still stood a few inches above the rangers. The latter walked gracefully over to Will's prone figure and pulled the knife out of his calf.

"I had everything under control." The bandit said, lowering his club.

"Only thanks to my little friend." The speaker said, holding up the bloodied knife. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

"You aren't going to kill him?" the giant asked.

"No."

"I did all that work for nothing? Why…" He was cut off as a blade pierced his throat.

"That'll teach you to not ask questions." The shorter man replied as he pulled out another throwing knife from his turned back to the prone ranger.

"Now for part b…" He muttered softly to himself


	2. Early Morning Coffee

**Sorry for the late update!**

The room was dark, too dark. It was the kind of darkness only the wee hours of morning could give. It was safe for Will to assume that it was a few hours until dawn.

_Coffee_. Will thought as he sniffed the scent that wafted into the room

_Why would someone be making coffee at this early hour_? He wondered. He heard a door open and footsteps enter his room. What seemed funny was the fact that he couldn't see any shadows or movements. Even in this total darkness, he would have at least been able to see small movements or shadows. At that moment though he couldn't see anything.

"Will?" A voice asked. He was able to recognize it as his mentor's Halt.

"Halt?" Will replied hesitantly.

"Thank Gorlog's nostrils you're awake!" His mentor, or what he believed to be his mentor, sighed in relief then he felt a hand on his.

"Why are you making coffee this early in the morning?" Will continued. "Do we have another mission this early? Should I get dressed?"

"Can you see me, Will?" Halt asked, ignoring the questions of the young boy whose tone was getting more and more panicked by the second.

"If you turned on the lights, I'd probably be able too." Will joked lightly, a reprieve from his earlier panic.

Halt fell silent for a moment. "It's morning, Will."

"I can see that it's a few hours before dawn… Do we have a mission this early? Why didn't I hear about it until now?"

"No, I am making breakfast." Will could hear the slight hesitation in his mentor's voice but his naiveté made him brush it off. He just couldn't shake off some worries in the back of his mind yet.

"Then why is it so dark out?" Will asked. He turned his head towards the small window in his room in Halt's cabin. His vision lightened slightly, but he still couldn't see anything. He blinked, hoping what he thought wasn't true.

"Halt?" Will swallowed as the worries started to settle in his mind and he knew he was starting to face reality "Why can't I see you?"

"Will," Halt began. He wanted to break the news to Will as gently as possible. "When I found you unconscious… I was too late…" Halt trailed off

"You are blind." He continued after a moment of silence

"What?! It couldn't have happened just like…"

"Blind," Halt repeated with much more forceful tone as if to tell Will to face reality.

Will fell back onto his bed, letting the reality settle in. He knew he had to accept it. He wanted to believe that Halt was pulling his leg he tried everything. He opened his eyes as wide as he could. He tried to focus on anything, any area on the darkness he saw. It was all black and that's all he'll see for the rest of his life. He felt hot tears begin to form in his now useless eyes. All was silent. Finally, Will spoke.

"How? How Halt?" Will asked.

"You were hurt in the head with a club. We were worried that you might have significant brain damage, but thankfully, your noggin is fine. Will was now aware of a dull thud in his head. It slowly started coming back to him. The fight, the club. He remembered being knocked out, then nothing.

~3 Months Later~

Will slumped on the ground, defeated.

"I can't do it Halt! I can't see you!" Will began to sob in defeat.

Halt put his hands on his apprentice's shoulders.

"Will, you can do it, you just have to believe. True, you can't see, but you can listen, smell, touch, and taste."

"How would tasting help see you move through the woods?" Will asked.

"I don't know, I guess you'll need to figure it out." Halt smiled gently. "Let's practice shooting now." He helped Will up from the ground. The apprentice felt around on the grassy ground for his bow.

He was so close, Halt thought. So close to being the best Ranger. Halt sighed.

Will fumbled around with his quiver, trying to get and arrow out of it. He started to get flustered. Halt, seeing his apprentice struggle, intervened.

"We'll try another day," he said. He put an arm around Will, and they walked back to the cabin.

In the woods surrounding the cabin, a person watched the two Ranger's.

"Yes, I think we will try again another day."


End file.
